Adapted Dance Program

Adapted Dance is an opportunity to take existing education programs and adapt them to populations with specific needs. Houston Ballet will partner with your special school to create a program especially for your students. In the spring of 2012, we piloted two such partnerships. The first was with Gateway Academy, which serves 7th-12th graders who have learning differences that impact social, academic, and critical thinking skills, to offer a series of social dance classes in preparation for the school's annual prom. The second was with the Monarch School, a school dedicated to providing an innovative, therapeutic education for individuals with neurological differences, to offer a series of creative dance classes for the Apprentice Level students. Both programs were held at the school's campus and were comprised of 6 class sessions.

We recently completed a six week social dance session with the Ballet. The experience was life changing for many. Our students live with social and learning differences such as Asperger's Syndrome, AD/HD, Dyslexia and more. Many have low muscle tone and have lived with disorganized body movement their entire lives... The most amazing outcome was at our senior prom. When the music started playing that Saturday night, everyone stepped out on the dance floor. For the first time ever, our staff didn't beg and plead with students to follow along and try to dance. The kids were not lingering awkwardly in the corners. This time the students started the movement themselves. This is culture changing for our school.

-- Julie Nicodemus, Gateway Academy School Counselor

Other partner schools to date include Kids' Development Clinic in Pasadena and The Summerhouse. We look forward to partnering with your school soon!

If you are interested in having an Adapted Dance program at your school or center, please contact Houston Ballet Education Outreach at hboutreach@houstonballet.org.